Loestrin 24 Fe and loestrin 24

I have been on Loestrin 24 for over a year now and I have to say that it is working really well for me. I have extremely light periods (esp. compared to the ones I was having before), predictable periods, and no mood swings. i have had breakthrough bleeding 2 of the months I've been on this pill. The only thing I've noticed is it is extremely hard for me to lose weight. Now, I only need to lose like 10 pounds, but I was running everyday and eating healthy for about 3 months and did not lose a pound of weight. I don't know if it was due to the pill, but in the past it has been fairly easy for me to lose,

Hey everyone. I had been on Loestrin 24 for an entire year before I realized that It was in fact the pill that was giving me terrible migraines, so emotional over the littlest things, and I was getting immediate headaches after any type of alcoholic beverage which had never happened to me before. My periods with Loestrin would last about 3 days. I recently asked my doctor if I could change my pill bc it was altering my normal life. She switched me to the generic of Yaz called Ocella. I took my last pill of Loestrin on Wed 9/17, my period usually comes a couple days following but this time it never came, not even any spotting. I started my new pill that Sunday 9/20/08 so it was awful timing bc now Im worrying about being pregnant but also my body taking to a new pill. I always take my pills on time and haven't missed any. I took a pregnancy test on Sunday 9/20 and it was negative and I took another this morning 9/25 which was also negative. Im worried bc I have never missed a period while being on Loestrin and trying to figure out if after being on Loestrin for so long if my periods were just going to stop coming and if this is all a big coincidence.

First off, your OBGYN is a moron if they told you it only takes a month to adjust to the pill. It is more common for the body to regulate to the pill at a minimum of 2 months and 3 months is not uncommon. So it can easily take 3 months for your body to adjust to your pill. And sometimes longer if you were on another pill and switched to another OC.

Amenorrhea(no Period) can happen on Loestrin 24. Notice the first for letters of amenorrea are AMEN. Is that a bad thing? To put this in the most basic lay terms....Birth Control tricks your body into thinking its pregnant. Thats it!!! Do pregnant women have periods? ..Of course not.

Regarding your lack of sex drive comment...that is ridiculous. The progestin in Loestrin 24 is norethindrone acetate. That is androgenic...it is one of the few pills that increases your sex drive.

I suggest if you want a pill that lowers your sex drive try yaz or Yasmin. It is anti-androgenic and lowers sex drive. It also is the ONLY pill that has extra warnings by the FDA for hyperkalimia. ...basically extra dangers if you take it my Advil, Tylenol or ANY NSAID. REMEMBER THIS PILL HAS only been around for 10 years and has been tied to several deaths in Europe. Google search yaz or Yasmin +death.

Loestrin has been around for 45 years. tried and true.

ALSO if anyone is a smoker and takes birth control you are guaranteed to have Bleeding and spotting.

I'm 23 and have been on Loestrin 24 for about a year and a half now. For the 1st month I was on it I was feeling really sick as if I was pregnant having morning sickness so I called my doctor and she said its takes about a month to get in your system so I should continue taking them, well after that month went by everything was great I got my periods on time every month they were longer than normal but I was fine with that, the pill even made my hair grow but about 2 months ago my period came but I was spotting for a day or two then last month I didn't have a period at all and I took a pregnancy test and of course it was negative but now i'm starting to get scared because since I started my period at the age 12 it has been normal and now all of a sudden it's gone and I know i'm to young to not have one at all, can anyone let me know if there going thru the same thing and what I should do. Oh yea I'm also experiencing the lack of sex drive my fiance thought I was cheating on him and was more interested in the other person (That doesn't even exists) LOL

I am on my 5th pack of Loestrin 24. This is my first time on birth control. I was worried about weight gain b/c a lot of my friends on various pill have gained a bit. But I, however, have lost about 10 pounds since starting Loestrin. I have been very sick to my stomach and have had no appetite. My periods have been very irregular and have yet to have a period on the brown pills. I notice that I have been fatigued and moody. I went to the doctor and asked if this was normal. He gave the typical response..."there is no normal. Everyone reacts differently" speech. So he scheduled me for a ultrasound and blood-work to see if there is an underlying problem before we decide to go pill hopping. This isn't fun, but the other option ( ie an unwanted pregnancy ) is really not fun.

I have been on loestrin for 2 months now. For the past month I have been an emotional wreck, and for the passed week I have had anxiety, heartburn and stomach cramps just below my ribcage. My lower back is killing me and my stomach is spasming. I just took my last birth control pill this morning and start the reminder pills tomorrow. I totally don't feel myself. I haven't got my period since i've been on it. My doctor put me on it because I was bleeding abnormally heavy for me two weeks after my period. I really want to not start a new pack, but i'm nervous that i will bleed heavily again. the anxiety is causing me no to sleep.................I hate this pill

I have been on this pill for over a year and I have never had any bad side effects (sorry to those of you who have) my periods always come once a month for usually a day or two. I take my pills relgiously every morning I have not missed one in over a year. But suddenly my periods have just stopped (I'm 28 so it's not menopause) if I call my OB he'll just tell me to come in for a pregnancy test. My husband and I have three kids and I knew with each that I was pregnant right away, I really don't feel pregnant. It just doesn't seem likely considering how long I've been on the pill. But have any other long term users just had their periods stop? Any ideas?

I'm 22 and had been on a generic of ortho-low and although I hadn't experienced any of the mood-swings, upset stomach, bleeding etc...I lost all desire to have sex. (Sex was impossible unless we used lubricant and even then it wasn't very enjoyable since it really wasn't what I wanted to be doing.) I stopped using the birth control and I went back to normal, but wanted to try something else so I started on loestrin 24. I bled for almost a week during the 2nd week on it, my breasts have been painfully tender, but more importantly...I have no desire to have sex...again. Poor boyfriend! He knows it's not really me...or anything he's "lacking" in that's contributing to this, but neither of us is happy with this situation. Any suggestions?

I am 32 and was on mirena 5years it works great for me but wanted to try something else so i decided to try Loestrin 24 and i feel like I am hyperventilating and depress, i been taking xanax for my moods i also have a lot of nausea and i feel so bad, my Dr. recommended to wait at least 1 year before i got back to Mirena but no way i just cant go for one more month like this.

I have been on Loestrin 24 for 8 days now and feel horrible. I am severely fatigued, have extreme back pain, slight nausea & light hotheadedness, and complete overall ill feeling. I was on Yaz prior to this and had the same side effects. I am stopping taking this immediately.

i started Loestrin 24 about a month ago and so far everything has been fine...i had headaches the week before my period came and i have been moody but i think it was just normal PMS. i have not gained any weight and i didn't have cramps when my period came-thank god, because that's part of the reason i went on this pill. my period was really light as well. i hope this continues for the next few months. it sounds like people have had really bad experiences with this pill and i hope that i don't suddenly have problems with it.. my sex drive has been normal and everything.

I have also been scared that I'm pregnant with Loestrin 24. I have had headaches everyday, nausea, cramps, major mood swings, my sex drive has significantly decreased, my gums bleed a little when I brush my teeth and sometimes I wake up with dried blood on my teeth. My periods barely last a day, and I wouldn't even say I was bleeding. I took a pregnancy test and it came back negative. I'm thinking about calling my GYNO now and asking her to switch my birth control. I have never found a BC that is perfect for me, but these are the worst side effects I've ever had with one.

i'm 26 and this is the first time i've ever taken any birth control. for the past 2 1/2 yrs, i've had my period every month and a half, then every two months, and the last period was three months late. after many visits to the gyno - ultrasounds and blood work, i gave in to the idea of trying this out for a short period of time to get my periods jump started again. i've been on loestrin 24 for 4 weeks now. i had a period after the first week of pills, i've been nauseous 90% of the time, i have unexplained pains in my chest and i've been crying more than usual. i've felt depressed, anxious, and have severe mood swings - all of these things are more than normal and i thought i was just loosing my marbles. after reading this site things make sense now and i'm going to stop taking it. my gyno says how i feel is normal but that my "emotional" part has nothing to do with the bc. there's no abnormal stresssors in my life as of late but maybe trying a different bc might help.

I'm 25, and I have never used bc. I was given this from my gyno. because my bf kept taking off his thingy. So the first day, the very first day my hair started to come out. I gave it two weeks, and threw it in the garbage. I had hair falling out everywhere, I had EVERY side effect listed. My vision was also screwed up. I didn't know what the hell was going on with me. My bf broke up with me, my moods were crazy, my boobs hurt, i had cramps, heavy bleeding, nausea, all i wanted to do was eat food, stomach pains, depression, anxiety, a headache, I was dizzy to the point were I just wanted to start crying, I even had the shits...This pill is a joke. I can deal with minor things like spotting, and I realize it takes 3 months for your body to adjust, but I couldn't even take it for 2 weeks. I did notice that if you take vitamins, the side effects were better.. but still my heart hurt so much I thought, holy crap, I'm going to have a mini-stroke at the age of 25. I am so thankful to god that I found this site and I could read other people's stories. I really think the idea of bc is wonderful, but until they make a pill that my body will accept- I'll stick with condoms, they have worked so far, I would even go on to say, I rather never have sex again then to go through the toll of this pill. This should have never been put on the market.

Hi all. I've been on Loestrin 24 for 5 months. I had some initial spotting - about two weeks into the first pack, but since then my periods have been regular and very short. I haven't experienced the mood swings, emotional stuff, nausea, etc. that many of you have described. I have gained some weight though. As in, 8 pounds. I haven't really changed my diet and my exercise level has decreased minimally. Anyone else experienced this? My md is actually writing a prescription for a generic version since my idiot insurance won't cover Loestrin. For those of you with negative side effects, hope you get to feeling better.

I am 18 years old and have been taking Loestrin 24 for about 7 months now. I started taking the pill because I was sexually active and was having extremely long and painful periods. The first few months of the pill were fine, I had some minor bloating. However, I was happy with the pill for the most part. The little acne I had cleared up and my periods were almost non-existent (12 hours of a light brown spotting at most).

Now, for the past three months I have been struggling with depression and anxiety. I could not figure out what was happening to me because I had never had emotional problems like this before. Given, I am prone to depression (both my mother and father have been diagnosed). Nevertheless, I am starting to wonder if the hormones in Loestrin 24 have triggered my depression symptoms and made them worse since they were NEVER a problem until I went on this pill. Previously, I was on Ortho Tricyclen Lo and did not have any emotional side effects whatsoever.

Also, I am pretty much fed up with this pill after today. A few days ago, I suddenly began having chest pains and a numbness/tingling on my left side (arms, legs, face). Feeling nervous, I went to the doctor today. They gave me an EKG which was normal (thank goodness). However, they have ordered me an MRI for tomorrow to see if I have suffered from a stroke! My doctor said that he thinks that then numbness pain is more likely caused my depression/anxiety. Depression and anxiety that I think were caused by this pill.

I can't stand these pills and I refuse to finish this pack. Enough is enough already! Has anybody else suffered symptoms similar to these and if so, what was your outcome?

Hello... I am on my third pack of loestrin 24. Im 19 and have never been on BC. the first pack i spotted and did NOT get my period on my brown pills. the second pack i got my period about the second week and bled for 2 weeks straight. it went away for a week and i DID get my period on the brown pills.. i was excited, i thought i was regulating finally. i am currently on my third pack the second week and i got my period last night and have cramps. i don't not really want to switch and go through this again. i lost my appetite( i don't mind) my drive has increased and i lostt weight. my skin is great im happy not moddy. i am hoping since loestrin is 24 days of hormones not 21 maybe its taking longer to regulate. I hope i regulare im scared i wont. has this happened to anyone... has anyone been normal. my only problem is this constant crampy bleeding! please help.

i started taking Loestrin FE just under a month ago. i havnt gotten to the brown pills yet for my 1st period on it.
since i started taking it ive noticed that ive been pee'n 2 times as much as i normally do..
my gums bleed slightly when i brush my teeth and in the afternoons i get nauseas and light headed..i get really week and after a few minutes it goes away.
ive taken a pregnancy test and its came back negative (i took it today)
but idk

what do you guys think?
plz let me know

I'm on pack 3 of Loestrin 24 and I've had a lot of the same symptoms everyone else is having. The first month was cool, but the second month, I think I had bleeding that ranged from spotting to a full on period for the entire month! It really makes you into a cranky person because you can't have sex and you are constantly bleeding, and having to wear a pantie liner. How annoying is that! Now that I'm on my 3rd pack, I'm on week two and just got my period 2 days ago...so I'm sure I'll now have my period for the next two weeks, and it will continue after the brown pills. I also wish I had started these pills during the week, because I don't want to constantly have my period on the weekend. Plus, it didn't help with acne at all yet. I'm headed to my doctor on Friday to discuss all this, but it seems like after this hump, things get better....let's hope.

I was on Loestrin 24 for a year and was having issues with mild acne, which I have never experienced in my whole life. I was also having major issues with my contacts. My eyes were always red and really bothersome. Now I have been off of Loestrin for a few weeks and back on Yaz and feeling great! I love Loestrin since I would never get my period, except 2x in the whole year and it was barely there. But now on Yaz, I don't have acne or trouble with my contacts. Plus I had gained weight on Loe and now losing a couple of pounds. The difficult thing is that the doctors tell you that you shouldn't experience side effects from these pills, such as weight gain, since they are such low hormones, but I think it's definitely possible. Anyways, if you are on Loe and reading a bunch of this stuff and nervous, it's fine, it's a great pill and you never get your period! How great is that! And in the beginning there may be breakthrough bleeding and spotting, which is normal while your body adjusts. But if you have other issues, later on, you just have to decide if you prefer side effects or your period?? It's your choice! lol! I am loving Yaz though!

i just started my second pack of loestrin 24 and for the past two weeks i wake up nauseated for about an hour. then i have fatigue all day and i can't do anything. also feeling depressed.. should i switch or just wait it out? maybe my body hasn't gotten used to it yet i don't know. but if i stopped taking it would my period automatically start?

Well i have been on loestrin 24 for a yr and 1mnth now and when i 1st started i had the btb and then it went away and no other real problems with it...its work the way it should no real bad mood swings/acne/weight gain and lighter periods..but now all of a sudden i have btb again but so much worse..it last about 2 weeks and i get the worst cramps. i don't understand why now that its been a year ( & my body should be use to it) how i have this annoying btb. i just need to know if i should wait it out or just swith bc?? anyone feel my pain??

I was on Loestrin 24 for 3 months, and gained around 10 pounds, very unusual for me. I was very depressed and had sever headaches.I have been off the pill for 6 weeks, and have lost bloat, but no weight, even with diet and exercise. Does anyone know if the weight will ever come off???What an awful pill.

I have been on Loestrin 24 for 2 years!! And I am finally getting off... and so happy to find this site! I have had to be put on Topamax because my migraines became so bad, which helped my weight gain (that I attributed to my own depression that I thought was my own fault!) I didn't even realize bc could cause depression but it all makes sense! I came on here to find out if Loestrin has been the cause of my SEVERE HAIR LOSS over the past year and a half! When I started taking it, I was also going through a stressful situation and thought that was the cause, but have now realized that my life is back to normal that something else must be causing it. I tried to get my Dr. to take me off of Loestrin about a year ago due to the EXTREME nausea, dizziness, headaches and fatigue that it was causing and he decided that I should just be put on Topamax because I was just a Migraine sufferer! What a nightmare. I can't wait to switch tomorrow!!

I have to agree...I have gained 5 pounds plus on Loestrin 24 since I started taking it in March. I am very petite...4'11" tall...and that amount of weight makes an enormous difference on my frame! Also I get cravings like a pregnant woman, and trust me I AM NOT PREGNANT! This week it was powered doughnuts and Cheez-It that I had to have. I never eat junk like that and get out of control with it. I did this time! I feel bloated a lot too, but nothing like some of you have mentioned. Just abdominal bloating, and it comes and goes.

My biggest complaint other than that is of vaginal dryness. I used to lubricate fine naturally. Now I have to use KY regularly during sex with my bf. It's annoying really...to have to stop what you're doing and put on lubricant.

I am doing my best to just deal with this stuff. I'm close to 40, and got on Loestrin cuz I was bleeding between my periods. Well that stopped, and I went from a 7-day to a 2-day period each month. LOVING THAT! I think 'm just going to try and stick it out. If I gain much more weight though I'm calling the doc!

I have been on bc for 7 years and Loestrin 24 for over a year now and finally found the perfect remedy to my irregular (sometimes 2 week long) periods. This is pretty much the only thing I love about the pill. However, It makes me feel a lot better that so many people are experiencing the many negative side effects that I have been getting from this darn pill. My frequent headaches are getting to be unbearable, I constantly feel so bloated and feel like my weight slowly creeps up despite a distance runner. I think I must be retaining so much water. I went on the scale one morning, then ran about 12 miles, then the next morning I gained about 6 pounds...i am a very healthy eater as well. It's just so mind boggling to me that this tiny pill can have such drastic effects on one's body. And depression is another big thing. I am also constantly depressed for no reason and snap at people for no reason.
But the big issue for me is probably my weight. I am really considering going off birth control completely. I just started a new pack this past Sunday...does anyone know if I can just stop cold turkey, or do I have to wait till I finish the pack?

I took loestrin 24 for two months.my doctor recommended it because im low in iron and it's supposed to give you shorter pieriods(haha).In reality I had my pierod two weeks before it was supposed to start and then again on the last week of the month.
I experienced hair loss crying and severe depression,when i no reason to be sad or depressed.I stopped taking loestrin two weeks ago. I feel almost back to normal.
I have never had such bad side effects from a birth control pill.this whole experience has really opened my eyes about taking birth control or any medicine with out really looking into the side effects first.

I have been on Loestrin 24 for 4 months now and hadn't had any big problems with it until I get to the sugar pills for me to have my period. I have had the worst cramps that I have EVER had in my life. I've never been on birth control before I began taking Loestrin, so I'm not sure if this is normal. My periods are shorter, but the pain is unbearable. I started it this morning and I have been in bed all day long in excruciating pain. I almost drove to the hospital but decided to hang in there. Has anyone else had a similar problem? I haven't gained too much weight except I've gone up an entire cup size in my bra which I didn't mind too much except that my boobs hurt almost constantly now if I don't have a bra holding them up! My main concern is the abdominal pain. Any thoughts?

Hi ladies!
I'm 19, and I've been on loestrin 24 for about 5 months now.
In the first two months I started to notice that I was losing hair! But I didn't think it was the pill, I really thought it was me-maybe I was washing too much or blow drying to much, but I really didn't think it was the pill. Then around March I started to get little rashes, and they have been off and on since then. Thank god I haven't experienced mood swings, yet, lol, but I just called my doctor and told her I needed off this pill. This pill really does scare me =/

I am 19 and was on Loestrin 24 for about a year and just switched to YAZ 3 days ago! I went on birth control because my periods were so awful..i was having a period every 2&1/2 weeks. So, I was hoping that going on this pill would make me regular. Well, from the very beginning it was like I wasn't on anything at all. They say it takes a while for your cycle to become regular, so i waited a few months and my period stayed messed up! Throughout the year I was spotting so much..I can't tell you how much money I spent on tampons. Not only was the spotting and 5-6 day period annoying, I just was not myself. About a month after starting them I was a wreck. I couldn't eat, little things upset me and made me feel depressed. I would cry uncontrollably, and I blame a lot of it on the pill. I really don't think it was right for my body. The month before I switched, I had three periods. I'm not talking about spotting, I mean 5 day long periods. I got cramps, headaches and even backaches. I felt awful. This pill may be good for some, but i sure HATED it and am happy to be trying something new.

First off, the side effects listed are not the norm....the "no periods" or very short periods, are the concept of Loestrin 24. Very short, very light periods. The moodiness are often side effects of the YAZ, the other 24 day pill. This is because the progestin dominance of YAZ. Loestrin 24 is known for the very short, very light periods, less side effects due to the shortened time off the pill. The side effects you read are unfortunate (make sure your pharmacist is not switching to a generic - even though there is no generic equivalent) but for the most part, these side effects are RARE!

I have been on Loestrin 24 for about 10 months now and I am all of a sudden having this breakthrough bleeding and I am about 2 weeks in on the pack. It is so frustrating! Does anyone else have this and is it normal since I have been on this pill for 10 months? I haven't had problems until now and I am hating life! Does it get better?

I had been on Loestrin 24 Fe for about 2 years...I didn't even realize the doctor had switched my bc to that...just thought it was another generic name.
I had gained 30 pounds and could not lose it even though I was running 2 1/2 miles everyday.
My sex drive went to zero.
I quit taking it about 8 weeks ago and am wondering if the weight will be easier to lose now. Has anyone quit taking this and can you tell me if the weight starts coming off?

Hey all! I've been on Loestrin 24 for an entire month (just finished my pack today) and things have been smooth. No tender breasts, no weight gain, no depression, nothing! ***EXCEPT I still haven't got my period! I'm almost completely positive I'm not pregnant.. my boyfriend and I are extremely careful. What's weird is that I keep expecting to get my period because I'm getting the usual signs I get right before my period..

**Has anyone else experienced no period on this birth control???

I've been a pill taker for twenty years (maybe more). I switched to loestrin FE in November. I realize that any bc takes the body some time to adjust but this has been pretty brutal. I gained 12 lbs and I cannot get it off no matter how much I work out and/or don't eat. I'm depressed too yet I have a beautiful life. My doctor says you sometimes need a year for your body to adjust to a new pill... I don't know if I can wait that long. My kids think I have lost my mind because I cry so much. I too think irrationally a lot more than in prior years. I will ask my doctor about this next week. It seems like this pill might have serious effects on the thyroid? Most of the symptoms described are also associated with hypothyroidism.

Hello everyone,
I just filled a prescription for Loestrin 24 and wanted to know a little more about this pill since I have never taken birth control pills b4. I have not started to take the pill as of yet, after reading these blogs I am a little hesitant to start taking them seeing all the complains against this pill. can anyone recommend a good BCP, with little site effects.

Are any of you actually taking this pill AT THE SAME TIME EVERY DAY? I'm just wondering because I'm going on to my 3rd month on Loestrin 24 and I take my pill the same time every day, get my period on time, and have had no problems what so ever...

I am glad sites like this one exist because it makes it easier to become educated on all the different side effects women have. Of course, its a completely different experience for each and every one of us, based on our biological clock, hormone levels, etc...I've been taking Loestrin for about 9 days now. The first three days I was extremely irritable and moody. Everyone noticed it and pointed it out because its so unlike my character to be that way for no reason. I was snapping at people and I felt very sensitive. I've felt light-headed and weak but many of my back pain medications make me feel this way so I am unsure as to whether I should attribute the sensations to Loestrin. After the fourth day, I've felt normal. The only thing that concerns me now is that I started bleeding this morning. My doctor said I have what's called breakthrough bleeding and I hope it doesn't last longer than a day or two. I've never taken any oral contraceptives in my life and hope this regulates my excessively long periods (think 5-7 days).

wow after reading your posts i feel much better!!! i thought i was losing my mind...i have terrible periods, full seven days terrible painful cramps, just periods from hell come to find out i have endometriosis and an ovary thats stuck to the vaginal wall my doctor put me on loestrin 24 and its been the pill from hell im constantly bleeding on and off, my right leg goes numb, i had healthy clear skin and now its really dry with fine bumps, my mood swings are crazy im happy then i want to cry, depressed most definitely, constant headaches and nausea after taking it and this is only my first month taking it, i also noticed that im always cold!!! i would rather put up with my painful period then this crap

When I first started taking bc I was 20 and just lost my right ovary and tube due to a cyst. I was on them for about 4 months to regulate myself before I started to not feel normal, so I stopped taking them. Then a little over a year ago I was on them again and the same thing happened, I stopped immediately. Now, I have been on Loestrin 24 for almost 6 months now and DO NOT like it. The only reason I was taking it was because I became sexually active and thought it necessary. The first couple of months were fine but the past two months have been terrible. I don't feel like myself. I feel depressed and anxious, I have shortness of breath walking up the stairs in my house; I'm 23 and healthy, I should not feel this way. I just had my annual visit and asked my doctor if bc can cause depression and she said ABSOLUTELY. You always need to be careful when taking any type of medication and if you feel like something is wrong, you’re probably right. You know your body better than anyone and will know when something is not right.

Glad I found this site. I am 37, My OBGYN put me on Loestrin 24 after talking to my cardiologist, to help with a rapid heart rate/arrhythmia caused by my natural hormones which was causing shortness of breath and other symptoms. I am on my 3rd pack. I have taken the last 2 packs back to back per doctors orders. While this pill has lowered my rapid heart rate/arrhythmia, Unfortunately, the decreased heart rate is the only good thing about being on this pill. I do not want to take Loestrin 24 anymore because I am so swollen my jeans do not fit, I have insomnia, I have days of feeling moody in a way I have never felt before, I have cramps as if I have my period but I don't have it, I have food cravings I never had before, I am tired, my body is painfully swollen to the touch (feels the same as swollen boobs) on my thighs and some days when I walk I feel the thigh swelling/pain, also swollen to the touch are sides of abdomen, upper abdomen, arms and some days my socks leave ankle rings from my socs from water retention. my eye is twitching (eye doc said from the swelling) and lids are swollen, I have a call into my Dr's. to discuss stopping this pill and after seeing your posts and the fact that you all have the same side effects from this pill and I feel better knowing this water retention/bloating is not in my head.

Hello everyone! Well I started with Loestrin 24 January 2008. I have previously used the ortho evra patch & the NuvaRing. I decided to try bc in the first place, because I had extreme periods lasting more than 9 days sometimes 13 days every two weeks. I tried to stay away from pills in general mostly because I have a tendency to forget to take them. Once the other methods failed to control my periods, I decided to to try the pill. The first month I got that really weird brownish discharge type period then a couple of weeks later, during the white pills I got very heavy spotting to a light period for almost a week. then the normal period. After that my periods are amazing! a few days, very light & hardly any cramping. that only lasted a couple of months. Now I have very ugly acne on my face, back and chest. I have gained about 10 lbs & I am always crying! I found myself just running home to lay down just to get away from people... I am going to finish this trail & discontinue the pill. Hopefully my heavy irregular periods don't start up again right away.

Hey everyone... I was on Yasmin and I loved it! I had to switch to Loestrin 24 because of insurance. Like most people I have had a really irregular period on Loestrin24, or I guess lack of one. The first pack I had HEAVY breakthrough bleeding after the first week. Since then, with the second pack I had no period, I took a pregnancy test, it was negative. Then this month the third, I am about to finish the brown pills and still no period. Since I started the pill I had had horrible stomach aches, and my left breast has been in so much pain. I went to the doctor, told her about my worries, she said to wait 3 months and see what happens. I hate this pill but I am in a bind because my insurance will not cover any birth controls for a reasonable price (under $65-$90) except for the generics. It is just frustrating because of course I am worried that I am pregnant but there's no way I could be (we are always double protected). I want to know if anyone has any suggestions on how to get an inexpensive form of birth control...

I am taking my 4th month of Loestrin 24 and I am very unhappy with it. Like many other people I am experiencing breakthrough bleeding each month...I have NEVER had this problem before. I have increased one cup size, have breast tenderness for the majority of each month, I have sleepless nights and very weird dreams.I have become extremely moody and seem down a lot of the time. I am going to be comtacting my doctor tomorrow to discuss a new pill.

I just started using Loestrin and felt like there wasn't much information about breakthrough bleeding with new lo-dose extended (24day) OCs like loestrin 24 and what causes it. The blogs have been really helpful, but I wanted more medical information. My sister works for the CDC so I asked her and she sent me this article on how different OC pills effected women in various trials. There are a few medical terms I didn't know of right of the bat, but it was pretty comprehensible. It helped me understand what the heck was going on with my body this first month with all the bleeding and cramps. If you want a copy of the article, just click on the private e-mail button and let me know where to send it.....

ok, so i've been on loestrin 24 for a week or so, and i know it hasnt been long but i feel like a ticking time bomb! I feel shaky and jittery and moooooody! My teacher told me th other day to go find something to do...alone...so i could chill out b/c my temper was showing it's ugly face. I've been on ortho before and my blood pressure shot up, the moodiness and stuff was better but I haven't had any kind of problem like these. I don't know if i should wait it out some more or what. I'm not quite sure if my classmates or my family can take much more...OH...and the weight gain, I've noticed some bloating and i'm not a small girl and i already have DDD boobs....have a lot of you had breast size increase? let me know if you have any advise.....kurtney_monster@yahoo.com

Mircette always helped me with hormonal acne but recently i had breakthrough bleeding and my gyno switched me to loestirn 24. First month was fine and my recent breakthrough bleeding stopped. Second month i have severe headaches, nausea, cramps, and acne is worse than ever. No bloating, bleeding (period) or weight gain. My dermatologist saw me last week and said loestrin 24 is not one she would recommend to treat acne. She is putting me on YAZ which has ingredients to treat acne. I start in four days after the loestrin 24 is finished.

I am 34 and started taking loestrin 24 at the advice of my doctor cause I have really heavy periods and a lot of breakthrough bleeding mostly due to fibroids which has made me quite anemic. I was hoping this would help. I started Loestrin 24 about 16 days ago. On the ninth day I started breakthrough bleeding and it hasn't stopped! I feel like it's become a full fledged period! I just hope the bleeding stops soon. I have pretty bad cramps and backaches. I've been popping many advil. Also, my breasts are tender and they're definitely bigger (I liked my boobs the way they were!). As far as mood, the first week was fine, but I was pretty lethargic and depressed the second week. Starting the third week yesterday, my mood has been much better. It sounds like people have had success after the 3 month waiting. Me, I'm willing to duke it out for another month for the almost-nothing periods. But 2 more months of this I don't think I can handle. I'll let you know what happens

I am 24 years old and I just starting taking Loestin 24 three weeks ago today. I have PCOD (polycytis ovary disease) which stops me from having my period for months at a time, December was the last time I had my period. I have never taken any type of birth control pill until now. The doctor put me on provera pills to get steady progestrone in my body, I couldnt take it. I had severe headaches, to the point that I thought my head weighed 1000 pounds. She took me off that and put me on Loestrin 24. I was fine the first two weeks,a slight migraine but no other sides effects. On Wednesday morning I starting spotting, but by the afternoon it was a full flow, with severe cramps. It is now Sunday and I am still bleeding and still cramping very bad. She told me that it will take 3 months for the side effects to go away, but I dont know what I should do? Should I stick it out the 3 months being that it has been so long since I had my period? Should I call the doctor and see if I should stop taking the pills and go on something else? I appreciate the advice.

I started the pills back in January, and anywhere between 13-17 days after I have my "real period" during the placebo pills, I have a full blown period. I have that for an entire week, and then for about 3 days during the placebo pills. I am only on my third month but I feel like I am going to start bleeding any day now and it is NOT time! I went on Loestrin 24 because I am going away this summer and did not want my period since I am traveling with my boyfriend. Is this extra bleeding EVER going to go away?! I know it said 3 months for side effects to straighten out, but I have been on Ortho Lo and I didn't have this problem. Not sure if this is the pill for me..